Publication Date: July 23, 2024
“This is a nice, quiet town with good people. Things like that don’t happen around here.”
But they do.
In THE TARNISHED SON, a tourist’s death, an alluring young teacher, a father’s carnal desires, and a stepdaughter’s vendetta ultimately destroy a village dynasty.
The respected Clark family has governed Williams Bay since 1837. On a hot August day, seventeen-year-old Liam causes a tragic boating accident. What happens next—infidelity, drugs, theft, and more—deepens long-hidden cracks in the family’s façade, exposing their secrets and tarnishing their golden image.
Meet the family:
William Sr., the grandfather who rules the family and the village with an iron fist
Hank, the father who lets temptations lead him on a path of self-destruction
Liam, the shining son who gets away with everything
Rose, the stepdaughter who has had enough and pushes the whole house down
Grab some popcorn and watch the destruction unfold in Elizabeth McKenna’s unpredictable family drama!
As prominent leading members of Williams Bay for generations, the Clark family is almost considered village royalty. However, one moment threatens to destroy that carefully built image.
Author Elizabeth McKenna crafts a multi-generational tale using perspectives from four main characters in The Tarnished Son. Initially, it reminded me a bit of the fall of the South Carolina Murdaugh family.
Readers will find William Sr., a hard man determined to protect the family legacy, while his son, Hank, has never quite lived up to expectations. It’s the grandson, Liam, who embraces his family’s privilege and pushes the boundaries.
Rose McCabe, Hank’s stepdaughter, isn’t blinded by the Clark family history. When she witnesses Liam do something horrendous, she’s determined that justice will be served.
What ensues is a story of temptation and lies that rock a small town. While each chapter has a different narrator, everything meshes well.
Elizabeth McKenna’s love of books reaches back to her childhood, where her tastes ranged from Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys to Stephen King’s horror stories.
Her novels reflect her mercurial temperament and include romances, mysteries, and suspense. Some are “clean,” and some are “naughty,” so she has a book for your every mood.
Elizabeth lives in Wisconsin with her understanding husband and Sidney, the rescue dog from Tennessee. When she isn’t writing, reading, or walking the dog that never tires, she’s sleeping.
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Thank you so much, Amy, for reviewing The Tarnished Son. I’m so glad you liked it! It’s funny you should mention the fall of the South Carolina Murdaugh family. That was actually my initial inspiration. One of the articles I read had a quote from a resident saying how shocked they were because things like that didn’t happen around there. I thought about the rumor mill of the village I live in and everything that had happened over the years and said, Hmmm. Yes, they do!